The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency headed for TV

BEST-selling book The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is heading for the small screen, with singer and actress Jill Scott in the lead role.

The book, by Alexander McCall Smith, follows the adventures of detective Precious Ramotswe, the proprietor of the only female-owned detective agency in Botswana. The series will comprise 13 episodes.

Anthony Minghella (of Cold Mountain/The Talented Mr Ripley fame) has directed a 90-minute pilot that will be screened on BBC1 this Easter (2008). The story has been adapted by Richard Curtis (Love Actually/Notting Hill).

Pioneering US television network HBO is working as a partner with the BBC on the project, as well as part-funding, and filming on the remainder of the series is scheduled to begin in the summer.

Richard Plepler, co-president of HBO, told the BBC: “Alexander McCall Smith’s wonderful books have been a sensation around the world for years, and we’re thrilled to be teaming up with the BBC to adapt these highly entertaining stories for HBO.”

As well as Jill Scott, the series will feature Dreamgirls star and Broadway actress Anika Noni Rose as Precious’ secretary Mma Makutsi.

The pilot episode also features British actors Colin Salmon, David Oyelowo and Idris Elba.